Judith Addressing the Elders of Bethulia, plate three from The Story of Judith and Holofernes 1564

Editor: So, this is Philip Galle’s 1564 engraving, “Judith Addressing the Elders of Bethulia.” It’s plate three from The Story of Judith and Holofernes, here at the Art Institute of Chicago. It has an illustrative quality due to the line work and how it creates value to define form. The spatial construction seems almost like a stage set with all the architectural components that draw the eye through the composition. How would you analyze this composition? Curator: Precisely. I focus on the linear precision evident in the cross-hatching, building tone and volume. Note how Galle uses line weight to distinguish between foreground and background elements. The figures are rendered with remarkable clarity, almost classical in their depiction, yet flattened against a detailed architectural backdrop. The architecture forms the framework for the stage where Judith is centered. It seems Judith's body is a series of elegant curves but her head is a series of straight angles with the overall composition leading back to that focal point. Editor: The flattening of the forms seems contradictory to me, however. If Galle’s goal was narrative clarity, why not create a more illusionistic space? Curator: Consider the graphic nature of engraving, demanding a distillation of form. Galle balances linear precision with a certain spatial ambiguity. The tension between flatness and depth actually enlivens the image, inviting a deeper engagement with its design. Look at how the foreground characters on the left overlap each other creating depth in a subtle fashion that reinforces the depth in the space while preserving some surface. Editor: I see what you mean, Galle seems to almost be toying with the conventions of perspective, highlighting the formal properties of the medium itself, as well as his skill in depicting volume with cross hatching. It almost reminds me of M.C. Escher in that respect. Thanks, that's helpful! Curator: Indeed. These are forms in conversation and balance.